Customs hands over N43.5bn seized drugs, drones, expired goods in Lagos

The Nigeria Customs Service's Apapa Area Command has seized a staggering N43.58 billion worth of hard drugs and expired goods. During a press conference, Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi unveiled the seized containers, which can be categorized into three groups: narcotics and controlled pharmaceuticals, security-sensitive equipment, and expired goods meant for human consumption.

Among the most significant hauls were 13 containers, including a 40-foot container loaded with 4,777 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 2,388.5 kg. The container also contained automobile spare parts, coffee mix, oats, and three vehicles. Another 40-foot container held 8,287 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 4,145 kg, packed in 162 bags and three vehicles.

A 20-foot container contained 2,181 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 1,090.5 kg, along with foreign parboiled rice, automobile parts, lithium batteries, batteries, PV combiner boxes, turmeric, mangala fish, and butterfly fish.

Notably, a 40-foot container with registration number MRKU 6185100 was intercepted carrying 425 bales of used clothing. Additionally, five containers were seized containing expired tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets, and disposable nappies. The three narcotics containers alone carried 15,245 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624 kg, while the used clothing amounted to 1,282 bales.

Adeniyi emphasized that the abuse of prohibited substances like codeine among young Nigerians has been a national concern for years, with documented connections to violent conduct, family breakdown, and lost productive lives. He highlighted that a single container of this size could have supplied the trade for an extended period. The seizures resulted from inter-agency collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and support from international security partners.

Adeniyi also disclosed the extraction of 108 units of high-definition dual-camera drones from one of the intercepted containers. While drones have legitimate uses, he cautioned that such equipment in the wrong hands can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and delivery. He stressed that consignments of security-sensitive equipment arriving without necessary documents will be detained, warning that ports will not be a route for providing capability to those working against Nigeria's security.